Gents,
As discussed in a previous post, my biggest complaint of the Delanair Climate Control is that when you switch it to Defrost the system would go to Full Heat and the fans at Full Speed without any other option available.
This of course is very well when you start the car early in a cold morning and you actually want to Defrost the windscreen.
But on a hot rainy day when the windshield starts to fog up the only option you have is to put the system in Defrost and get a full blast of heat in the face…
And when the screen finally cleans up you turn it off, because you had enough of heat and air, only to find your screen fogged up again!
My plan was to somehow take control of the dash vents.
The Dash Vents are controlled by a mechanical vacuum valve mounted at the selector switch.
When in Defrost Mode the valve cuts the vacuum at the foot-well vents and the dash vents at the same time, the foot-well vents close and the dash vents open.
Unfortunately, being a mechanical vacuum valve directly connected to the Mode Switch, there is not an easy way of modifying it.
So, I needed to control the vacuum going to the Dash Vents.
I happened to have a electric vacuum valve in my drawer, the one used by the 45sec timer to cut the ignition vacuum in the V12. It’s a three way valve, perfect for the job.
I added a small air filter at the relief port and I’ve mounted it on left side lower console, under the handbrake, where one of the cable ties attaches. There was just enough space.
One port (NO) goes to vacuum, one at the dash vent’s vacuum actuator and one is relief (NC)
The valve is controlled with a switch at the center console.
With this modification I can now control the Dash Vents regardless of the position of the Mode Switch, i.e. there will be some air flow, if wanted, also in normal operation.
In Defrost Mode the system will behave as intended regardless of the position of the electric switch.
The modification is also completely reversible.
Best,
Aristides
